Package vending machine



p 1959 F. E. FOWLER ETAL I PACKAGE VENDING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 5, 1954 l/Ja fMroms'. I FRHNK E-FOWLER, ROBE/P71]: MIA/0E1; yWMJ Sept. 29, 1959 F. FOWLER em 2,90 ,577

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PACKAGE VENDING- MACHINE Filed Dec. 3. 1954 I 5%. 28 45 1/; I0 Q13 I 65 5 64 65 lA/VENTQEJ: 60 10/ FRANK E. FOWLER, 5

99 Ross/2r .z MIA/DER,

n T TO RNF vs 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 1 United States Patent 1 PACKAGE VENDING MACHINE Frank Edward Fowler and Robert 'Joseph Minder,

thens, Ga.

Application December 3, 1954, Serial No. 472,892

'5 Claims. 01. 312-971 The present invention relates generally to vending machines, and more particularly to a coin operated vending machine of the rotatable reel type.

In brief, the present vending machine includes a casing within which are aligned dispensing reels biased in one direction of rotation. An indexing mechanism is associated with each reel which is coin operated and which insures step-by-step rotation of the reel for dispensing action. An anti-coin insertion mechanism is provided so that a coin will not be accepted by the machine when a reel is empty.

.Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a novel dispensing or vending machine of the reel type of simplified construction which is mechanically actuated.

Another object is to provide a novel vending machine incorporating rotatable reels as article carriers and including novel indexing mechanism insuring step-by-step vending action of the reels.

Another object is to provide a novel vending machine incorporating article carrying reels, the dispensing rotation of .which is controlled by novel indexing. mechanism and in which the indexing mechanism may be released to permit. free rotation of the reels to expedite loading thereof.

Another object is to provide a novel vending machine of the reel type incorporating a display casingfor each reel so that the purchaser may view an article or item of the kind about to be purchased.

Another object is to provide a novel vending machine of the reel type which is a self-contained unit and requires no power from an exterior source, thereby being suitable for use in any place within a store, industrial plant, gas station, etc.

Another object is to provide a novel vending machine of, the reel type which is constructed for long service with minimum maintenance, and which is particularly adapted to dispense bulky articles, such as potato chips, and the like.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages are apparent from the following description taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an end view of an exemplification of the present novel vending machine, the casing being in section to fully disclose the dispensing reel and associated mechanisms and a part of the reel being broken away to show the article receiving compartments;

Figure 2 is a front view of the machine, a portion of the front panel being broken away to disclose one dispensing reel and associated mechanisms;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view looking toward the other end of the machine from that disclosed in Figure l, the cabinet being in section to illustrate the dispensing reel and driving unit;

Figure 4 is an enlarged lower right-hand fragment of Figure 1, parts being broken away for greater detailed illustration;

, 2,906,577 Patented Sept. 29, 1959 Figure 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line 5-5 of -Figure 4; I I

Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line 66 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line 7-7 of Figure 2;

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the central part of the reel and associated mechanisms illustrated in FigureZ, the drive spring and wire rope being omitted;

Figure 9 is a plan view of the anti-coin insertion mechanism, being taken on the line 99 of Figure 4;

Figures. 10 and 11 are enlarged vertical transverse crosssectional views taken on substantially the lines 1019 and 1111 of Figure 9;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 1, but illustrating the anti-coin insertion mechanism in operative position;

Figure 13 is a fragmentary View showing an intermediate portion of the actuatinglever of the indexing mechanism release;

Figure 14 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line 1414 of Figure 1;

Figure 15 is a side elevational view of the indexing mechanism housing;

Figure 16 is a vertical transverse cross-sectional view taken. on substantially the line 16-16 of Figure 15;

Figure 17 is a plan view of the indexing mechanism stop member;

Figure 18 is a side elevational view thereof;

Figure 19 is a vertical transverse cross-sectional View taken on substantially the line 1919 of Figure 18;

Figure 20 is an enlarged side elevational view of the major portion of the indexing mechanism mounted on a brace member, a portion of the actuating lever support and the actuating lever being omitted for clarity of illustration;

Figure 21 is a vertical transverse cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line 21-21 of Figure 20; and

Figure22 is an isometric view of the plunger releasing member forming part of the indexing mechanism.

Referringtothe drawings more particularly by reference numerals, 25 indicates generally a vending machine'incorporating the teachings of the present invention. Broadly, the vending machine 25 includes a cabinet or casing 26, a plurality of dispensing reels 28 rotatably mounted therein, indexing mechanism 30, an indexing mechanism release 32' for permitting free rotation of the dispensing reels 28 during article loading, an anticoin'insertion mechanism 34 effective when a reel 28 is empty, a power unit 36 for rotating each reel 28, and associated elements, all of which are described in detail below.

The cabinet 26 includes a bottom panel 39, a front panel 40, side panels 41 and 42, a rear panel 43, a separate attached bottom section 44, and a top section 45 connected by hinges 46 to the top of the rear panel 43 (Figs. 1 3). The panels 40, 41, 42, and 43, the bottomsection 44, and the top section are preferably of suitable gauge metal and are rigidly secured together by bolts (not shown) to permit rapid disassembly. A look (not shown) is provided to maintain the top section 45 closed. Window-shaped molding frames 47 are removably secured to the front panel 40 by screws, or the like, each of which has an upper portion 48 surrounding the open end of a display casing or compartment 49rn ounted on the inner face of the front panel 40 which is closed by a glass 52, and a lower portion 50 surrounding the discharge end of a discharge trough-51. The display casing 49 is employed to exhibit an article or item like those being dispensed by theparticular reel 28 i 7 Each dispensing reel 28 includes spaced discs and 56, each of which includes a bearing 57 through which the discs '55 and 56 are freely rotatably mounted upon a shaft 58. The shaft 58 has Stationary support in braces 59., there being one brace 59 adjacent the left side of each reel 28 and a fourth brace 59 to the right of the'righthand reel 28, viewing Figure 2. Brace supporting brackets 60 and '61 are welded or otherwise secured to' the front panel 40 and the rear panel 43, respectively '(Figs. 1 and 3), the braces 59 being bolted to said brackets 60 and 61 (Figs. 1 and 3). Each dispensing reel 28 includes a plurality of compartments 63 formed by radially disposed partitions 64 which are welded or otherwise secured to the interiorly disposed faces of the spaced discs 55 and 56 through side flanges 65. On the lower partition 64 of the last dispensing compartment 63 is the word Empty.

circular in form is disposed adjacent the lowermost part of the periphery of each reel 28 and is supported from the front panel 40 and the rear panel 43 by bolts (Figs. 1 and 4). 7

The novel indexing mechanism 30 is duplicated for each dispensing reel 28, hence, only one need be described in detail. I a housing 66 of channel cross section (Figs. 4, 8, 15 and 16 which is welded or otherwise secured to the brace 59 adjacent the reel disc 55 and is located to the front of the machine 25 adjacent the respective discharge opening 51. Extending upwardly from and preferably welded to the top edge of the brace 59 at the rear of the housing 66 is a lever support member or post 67. Within the housing 66 is reciprocatively disposed a stop member 68 of the configuration clearly shown in Figures l719. The stop member 68 includes a heel portion 69, an upper arm 70 terminating in a camming surface 71, and a lower horizontal arm 72 spaced downwardly from and extending outwardly beyond the upper arm 70. Thelower arm 72 is of less thickness than the upper arm 70 and the heel 69, as is clear from Figures 18 and 19, and has a beveled end 73 reversed to the camming surface 71 of the upper arm 70. It will be observed from Figure 21 that the stop member 68 is of a cross section to snugly fit within the housing 66.

A plunger releasing member 75 of angular form as is clearly shown in Figure 22 is mounted between the lower arm 72 and the wall of the housing 66 with the horizontal flange thereof disposed upon the upper surface of the lower arm 72 (Fig. 21). A pin 76 is mounted in the vertical flange of the member 75 and extends through an elongated notch 77 in the housing 66 and through an elongated slot 78 in the brace 59 (Figs. 15, 20 and 21). An actuating lever 80 is pivotally connected to the top of the lever supporting member 67 by means of a nut and bolt assembly 81 (Fig. 6) and extends downwardly therefrom. The pin 76 extends through a vertically elongated opening 82 (Fig. 13) in the lever 80v intermediate the ends thereof, being secured against removal by a suitable cotter pin 83, or the like (Fig. 4). The lower end of the lever 80 extends through a slot 84 in a. horizontally reciprocatable lever 85 which extends through a coin mechanism 86 of standard construction which per se forms no part of the present invention, the coin mechanism 86 being bolted to the front panel 40.

concentrically mounted on the outer face of the disc 55 are U-shaped brackets 90' which are welded or otherwise secured in position. Extending through aligned apertures in the legs of each bracket 90 is an indexing pin 91. Surrounding each pin 91 is a compression spring 92, one end of which abuts a leg of the bracket 90 and the other end of which abuts a washer'93 engaging a pin 94 extending through and secured in the pin 91. The springs 92 bias the pins- 91 into the positions illustrated inthe drawings. It will be noted that the normal position; of each indexing pin 91 is such that it will not pass the lower arm 72 when the dispensing reel 28 is moved clockwise. (Figs..1 and 4)-.. Similarly,, the indexing: pins An article retaining plate 62 substantially semi Each indexing mechanism 30 includes 91 will not pass the upper arm 70 of the stop member 68 when the feel 28 is rotated counterclockwise. It should also be noted that the stop member 68 normally remains in the position within the housing 66 illustrated in Figure 4 during operation of the machine 25.

The indexing mechanism release 32 for permitting free rotation of the dispensing reels 28 during article reloading includes a bracket 97 of the configuration clearly shown in Figures 4 and 20 which is secured to the heel 69 of the stop member 68 by suitable screws 98. A rod 99 of the configuration shown in Figures 1 and 4 has the central angularly disposed portion extending through an aperture 104 (Fig. 20) in the free end of the bracket 97. The lower portion of the rod 99 extends through a horizontal flange of the bracket 60 and receives a compression spring 100 which, at its upper end, abuts the bottom of the horizontal flange and, at its lower end, a washer 101 retained against removal by a suitable cotter pin, or file like. A pm 102 extending through and secured in the rod 99 and engaging the bracket 97 prevents down: ward movement of the former beyond the position of Figure 4. The upper end of the rod 99 is formed as a handle 103.

The anti-coin insertion mechanism 34 for each reel 28 is located at the bottom of the cabinet 26 adjacent the disc 55 (Figs. 1, 4, and 9-12), and includes an elongated member 106 having a vertical flange 107 and a horizontal flange 108. The member 106 is pivotally mounted on the vertical flange 109 of a bracket 110 by a rivet or bolt assembly 113, the horizontal flange 111 of said bracket being bolted to the bottom panel 39. An actua tor bracket 114 is secured to the member 106 by the same rivet 113. The member 106 normally rests on the stop 115 which may be struck out of the flange 109. A second similar stop 116 limits pivotal movement of the member 106 counterclockwise, viewing Figure 4. A blocking member 117 is secured by rivets to the flange 108 and includes a free flange portion 118 engageable by the lower end of the actuating lever 80 when the memher 106 is in the position of Figure 12. A bracket 119 welded or otherwise secured to the disc 55 of the reel 28 rotates the member 106 upon engagement with the bracket 114.

The power unit 36 for each reel 28 includes a tension spring connected at one end to an upper extension of the bracket 61 and at the other end to one end of a wire rope 126. The wire rope 126 is trained around a pulley 127 and has the other end secured to a small drum -128 secured bybolts, welding, or the like, to the disc 56 of the reel 28 (Figs. 3 and 8). The pulley 127 is rotatably mounted by means of a suitable stub shaft 129 on a plate bracket 130 welded or otherwise secured to the brace 59. The shaft 129 may be adjustable horizontally as by a slot in the plate bracket 130 if desired to provide for adjustment of tension of the spring 125.

A stop bracket 134 of angle form is welded or otherwise secured to each brace 59 adjacent .a disc 55 (Figs. 1 and 12), the free flange of which is horizontal and substantially on a radius. A cooperating bracket 135 having flanges 136 is welded or otherwise secured to the disc 55, the flanges -136 being substantially on radii of the disc 55.

A coin-receiving drawer 140 is provided within the bottom section 44 (Figs. 2 and 4). Chutes 141 direct coins from the' outer c'oin mechanisms 86 into the drawer 140 through openings in the bottom panel 39 and the top portion of the'bottom' section 44, coins from the center coin mechanism 86 dropping directly therein through said openings. A rod 142 extending through apertures in thebottom panel 39, in the bottom section 44, and in a top flange of the drawer 140 secures the latter against removal (Fig. 4). The rod 142 is mounted in the legs 0% a U-bracket 143 bolted to the inside of the front panel- 40-,- beingbiased' into lower position by a compression spring 144 and being limited in downward movement by a pin 145 extending therethrough. A compression spring 146 ejects the drawer 140 upon raising of the rod 142. The rod 142 has a handle portion 147 at the top by which it may be raised on lifting of the cover 45.

Operation Assuming that the machine 25 is empty and ready for reloading, the dispensing reels 28 and the other elements will be in the positions illustrated in Figure 12, engagement of the bracket 135 with the horizontal flange of the bracket 134 determining the end of the dispensing cycle of the reels 28. To reload, the top section 45 is unlocked and raised to an out-of-the-way position, whereupon the rods 99 may be raised to effect withdrawal of the stop members 68 from the positions of Figure 4 to a position forwardly thereof, so that the arms 70 and 72 are out of the path of the indexing pins 91. It is manifest from Figure 4 that the intermediate angular portion of each rod 99 will cam the stop members 68 forwardly. Thereupon, the reel 28 may be freely rotated counterclockwise for reloading of the compartments 63.

In the reloading, all compartments, except compartment No. l, are filled with the article or articles to be dispensed, compartment No. 1 being left empty inasmuch as it will be disposed opposite the discharge trough 51 when the reel 28 is fully loaded, and, in simplification of the present machine 25, means have not been provided for temporarily closing the opening of the discharge trough 51 in order to utilize this single compartment. As soon as the reels 28 are fully loaded, with the exception of compartment No. l, the rods 99 are released whereupon the springs 106 will return them and the stop members 68 to the positions of Figure 4. The top section 45 is closed and locked and the machine 25 is ready for dispensing operation.

It should be noted that the coin receiving drawer 140 can be released for removal of coins therein only when the top section 45 is open. Normally, the rod 142 is raised to release the coin drawer 140 when the machine 25 is being reloaded.

A coin inserted in the coin mechanism 86 of Figure 4 will permit the horizontal lever 85 to be moved inwardly in the usual movement of such devices which will effect clockwise pivotal movement of the lever 80, viewing Figure 4, which, in turn, moves the plunger releasing member 75 to the left against the indexing pin 91 resting on the lower arm 72 of the stop member 68 to dislodge it, whereupon the reel 28 revolves clockwise under the influence of the spring 125 until the next indexing pin 91 engages the lower arm 72. If the horizontal lever 85 is held in its inner position momentarily for some reason or other, the next indexing pin 91 may come to rest upon the horizontal flange of the member 75, but this in nowise affects the operation of the reel 28 and the indexing pin 91 will drop down onto the lower arm 72 just as soon as the lever 85 is released. Meanwhile, the material to be dispensed moves toward the trough 51 or may be pulled therethrough by the purchaser depending upon the particular article or articles being dispensed.

Similarly, the remaining articles or items in the reel 28 are dispensed until the bracket 135 engages the stop bracket 134 as shown in Figure 12. At about the same time, the actuator bracket 114 of the anti-coin insertion mechanism 34 is engaged by the bracket 119 to raise the mechanism 34 to the operative position blocking clockwise pivotal movement of the lever 80. Thereafterwards, a coin inserted in the coin mechanism 86 will be ineffective and can be retrieved by the would-be purchaser. This simple mechanism does away with the necessity of coin return construction which would otherwise have to be provided.

It is obvious that there has been provided a dispensing machine which fulfills the objects and advantages sought therefor.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings have been given by way of illustration and example. It is also to be understood that changes in form of the elements, rearrangement of parts, and substitution of equivalent elements, which will be obvious to those skilled in the art, are contemplated as within the scope of the present invention which is limited only by the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

l. A dispensing machine comprising, in combination, a casing, an article dispensing opening in said casing, an article carrying compartmentized reel rotatably mounted in said casing for dispensing through said opening, means constantly biasing rotation of said reel in dispensing direction, and indexing means permitting step-by-step dispensing rotation of said reel including retractible pins mounted on one side of said reel, a normally stationary stop member slidably mounted in said casing successively engageable by said pins, a pin release member slidably mounted on said stop member, and means for moving said pin release member to release a pin from engagement with said stop member, said stop member including two vertically spaced horizontal arms, the lower of which is engaged by said pins, said upper arm extending beyond the end of said pins and preventing backup of said reel, said upper arm including means permitting passage of said pins in dispensing rotation of said reel.

2. A dispensing machine comprising, in combination, a casing, an article dispensing opening in said casing, an article carrying compartmentized reel rotatably mounted in said casing for dispensing through said opening, means constantly biasing rotation of said reel in dispensing direction, and indexing means permitting step-by-step dispensing rotation of said reel including retractible pins mounted on one side of said reel, a normally stationary stop member slidably mounted in said casing successively engageable by said pins, a pin release member slidably mounted on said stop member, means for moving said pin release member to release a pin from engagement with said stop member, and means for automatically rendering said last-mentioned means inoperative when said reel has registered its last compartment with the dispensing opening in the casing.

3. A dispensing machine comprising, in combination, a casing, an article dispensing opening in said casing, an article carrying compartmentized reel rotatably mounted in said casing for dispensing through said opening, means constantly biasing rotation of said reel in dispensing direction, and indexing means permitting step-by-step dispensing rotation of said reel including retractible pins mounted on one side of said reel, a normally stationary stop member slidably mounted in said casing successively engageable by said pins, means for moving said stop member out of the path of rotation of said pins to facilitate reloading rotation of said reel, a pin release member slidably mounted on said stop member including a fiat portion the end of which is engageable with a pin on said stop member, said flat portionpermitting a succeeding pin to come to rest thereon without interferring with the dispensing action of said reel, means for moving said pin release member to release a pin from engagement with said stop member, and means for automatically rendering said last-mentioned means inoperative when said reel has registered its last compartment with the dispensing opening in the casing, said stop member including two vertically spaced horizontal arms, the lower of which is engaged by said pins, said upper arm extending beyond the end of said pins and preventing backup of said reel, said upper arm including means permitting passage of said pins in dispensing rotation of said reel.

4. A dispensing machine comprising, in combination, a casing, an article dispensing opening in said casing, an

article carrying eompartmentized reel rotatably mounted in said casing for dispensing through said opening, means constantly biasing rotation of said reel in dispensing direction, and indexing means permitting step-by-step dispensing rotation of said reel including retractible pins mounted on one side of said reel, a normally stationary stop member slidably mounted in said casing successively engageable by said pins, a pin release member slidably mounted on said stop member, said pin release member being formed to operatively receive thereagainst a succeeding retractible plunger, and means for moving said pin release member to release a pin from engagement with said stop member, said stop member including two vertically spaced horizontal arms, the lower of which is engaged by said pins, said upper arm extending beyond the end of said pins and preventing backup of said reel, said upper arm including means permitting passage of said pins in dispensing rotation of said reel.

5. A dispensing machine comprising, in combination,

a casing, an article dispensing opening in said casing, an 20 article carrying compartmentized reel rotatably mounted in said casing for dispensing through said opening, means constantly biasing rotation of said reel in dispensing direction, and indexing means permitting step-by-step dispensing rotation of said reel including retractible pins mounted on one side of said reel, a normally stationary stop member slidably mounted in said casing successively engageable by said pins, a pin release member slidably mounted on said stop member, means for moving said pin release member to release a pin from engagement with said stop member, said stop member including two vertically spaced horizontal arms, the lower of which is engaged by said pins, said upper arm extending beyond the end of said pins and preventing backup of said reel, said upper arm including means permitting passage of said pins in dispensing rotation of said reel, and means for automatically rendering said slidable release member inoperative upon vending from the last compartment in the reel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 407,946 Vaughn July 30, 1889 495,536 Welch et a1. Apr. 18, 1893 942,117 Weber Dec. 7, 1909 1,065,029 Craig June 17, 1913 1,272,096 Rathgeb July 9, 1918 1,771,199 Webber July 22, 1930 1,881,831 Mills Oct. 11, 1932 1,931,741 Sadgebury Oct. 24, 1933 2,017,078 Schwab et al Oct. 15, 1935 2,099,557 De Mayo Nov. 16, 1937 

